Shanahan Roused Skins by Telling Them McNabb Was "Fired"

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 03: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Washington Redskins warms up before playing against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 3, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Updated at 3:42 PM EDT on Monday, Oct 4, 2010

For all that Sunday's game supposedly wasn't about Donovan McNabb returning to play the team that traded him, Sunday's game was all about Donovan McNabb returning to play the team that traded him.

Pics From the Redskins-Eagles Game

"All week, Coach Shanahan said, anybody ever been fired, raise your hand. My hand goes up, a lot of guys' hands goes up. We know what it's like. We know what it's like to go back to a place that didn't want you, and we know how bad he wanted it.

We just wanted him to know that you're not alone. You're not alone. We as a defense, the rest of the offensive guys, we're gonna come and we're gonna bring it for you.

And every time he came off the field we wanted to go over there, talk to him, let him know 'hey we got your back.'"

And hey, whatever works; it was Hall who saved McNabb's behind by coming up with an interception on Kevin Kolb's Hail Mary.

Considering the Redskins next play the Packers, Shanahan might want to tell him Aaron Rogers strangled McNabb's mother. (He didn't, of course, but DeAngelo Hall's not going to get proof between now and Sunday.)

London Fletcher was also on board the revenge train.

"When they traded him, he became our family," Fletcher said, "and I felt like they wronged a family member. So we definitely had his back today."

McNabb, of course, said all the right and boring things leading up to the game, because that's what Donovan McNabb does. And he didn't play particularly well, because Donovan McNabb does that, too.

But afterward, in the locker room, McNabb was given the game ball and took the opportunity to mention that little Easter episode amidst his thoughts on the win.

"Hey, this right here defines team, man. This defines team. You know, despite whatever's happened in the last couple weeks, this right here showed how tough really we are.

Defense, we really appreciate you. In the second half, you [whoops].

Offense: we're gonna get it together and it starts with me. But I just want to say, definitely, this right here defines team.

"And this was something we can feed off of goin' into the rest of the season. We are number one in the NFC East, and we're gonna stay up there.

Everybody makes mistakes in their lifetime, and [the Eagles] made one last year, so...thank you."

Now there's a spicy McNabb we can all get behind. He's much more interesting with a little sauce.